Interstate 95 Northbound (Fairfax County)

Interstate 95 North

U.S. 1 & Interstate 95 again intermingle at Exit 161 just north of the Occoquan River. A pair of partial "Y" interchanges link the two highways as U.S. 1 (Richmond Highway) kisses the northbound side of Interstate 95. Photo taken 12/21/12.

From Exit 161 northward, U.S. 1 (Richmond Highway) diverges from the Interstate 95 corridor. The US highway travels eastward through Fort Belvoir to Alexandria. Virginia 235 loops from U.S. 1 into historic Mt. Vernon east of Fort Belvoir. Photo taken 12/21/12.

Interstate 95 bends back northward between Exits 161 and 163 at Lorton. Photo taken 12/21/12.

The first in a series of dynamic message boards precede a slip ramp onto the reversible HOV roadway ahead of Exit 166. Photo taken 12/21/12.

Four miles out from the busy Springfield Interchange, motorists continuing on Interstate 95 are already advised to keep left for the impending split with Interstate 395 (Exit 170B). Crossing over the freeway in this scene is Pohlick Road (Virginia Secondary 638). Photo taken 12/21/12.

Dynamic message signs in the D.C. area tout travel times to Washington on I-95 north and to intersecting freeways on the Capital Beltway. Photo taken 12/21/12.

A second sign advises Interstate 95 northbound motorists to move to the left ahead of the Springfield Interchange. While Washington represents the southern end of the Northeastern U.S. Megalopolis, New Jersey and New York tend to be the destination of choice for many northbound travelers of Interstate 95 from Florida and other points south. Photo taken 12/21/12.

One half mile south of the Exit 166 full cloverleaf interchange with Fairfax County Parkway (SR 286) at Newington. Virginia 286 travels south from Interstate 95 to U.S. 1 at Fort Belvoir. Photo taken 12/21/12.

Northward Virginia 286 (Fairfax County Parkway) connects Interstate 95 with Franconia-Springfield Parkway (SR 289) at Rolling Road (SSR 638). This portion of the parkway opened fully on September 20, 2010 and was the final segment of Fairfax County Parkway to be built.Traffic on the HOV lanes sees a one-mile guide sign for the flyover ramp back to the Interstate 95 mainline. Greened out are shields for the Springfield Interchange (Interstate 395 & 495). Photo taken 12/21/12.

Exit 166A leaves I-95 north for Fairfax County Parkway south at Loisdale Road (SSR 789). Virginia 286 (former SSR 7100) replaced Backlick Road between the freeway and U.S. 1 at Accotink. Photo taken 12/21/12.

Backlick and Fullteron Roads are referenced on Exit 166B signage from when Fairfax County Parkway temporarily ended west of Interstate 95. Virginia 286, upgraded from SSR 7100 on February 15, 2012, travels 29.21 miles overall northwest to Fairfax Station, Fair Oaks, Reston and Virginia 7 at Dranesville. Photo taken 12/21/12.

A flyover ramp connects the northbound HOV roadway with the right-hand side of the Interstate 95 mainline to allow connections to Virginia Secondary 644 (Franconia Road) and the Capital Beltway.
Greened out are "Interstates 95-495 - Baltimore" and "I-495 - Tysons Corner". Direct HOV ramps replaced the need for this movement. Photo taken 12/21/12.

One-mile overhead of Exits 169A/B (Virginia Secondary 644) on Interstate 95 northbound. There is no direct access between the Interstate 95 mainline and Franconia-Springfield Parkway (Virginia 289). The east-west arterial crosses the freeway just south of SSR 644 (Old Keene Mill and Franconia Roads) and Springfield Town Center. Photo taken 12/21/12.

Motorists on the HOV-roadway are provided with a direct ramp to Virginia 286 (Franconia-Springfield Parkway). The ramp ascends to meet the parkway at a traffic light in one mile. Photo taken 12/21/12.

The first formal guide sign for the Springfield Interchange (Exits 170A/B) precedes the stack with Interstates 395 (Shirley Highway) north and 495 (Capital Beltway) by 1.5 miles. Photo taken 12/21/12.

Interstate 66, I-270 and Dulles Airport traffic are given a heads-up before Interstate 95 makes its approach to the Springfield Interchange with the Capital Beltway. Interstate 495 northbound (Inner) carries motorists via Exit 170B through western Fairfax County to I-66 and the Dulles Access Road. Photo taken 12/21/12.

Upgrades to the Springfield Interchange included the construction of a new flyover for I-95 north onto the Capital Beltway outer loop from the left-hand side. The Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway continues northward as Interstate 395 from the right-hand side. Exit 170B also departs from the right for a three-lane flyover onto Interstate 495 north to Tysons Corner and Rockville, Maryland. Photo taken 12/21/12.

A large diagrammatic overhead displayed for the mainline advised motorists of the upcoming junction with Interstates 395 & 495 (Exits 170A/B). What was served a directional-cloverleaf interchange in 2005 was replaced with a high-powered stack interchange in 2009. Photo taken 06/22/05.

Ramps for Virginia 289 (Franconia-Springfield Parkway) and Exits 169A/B to SSR 644 depart simultaneously from Interstate 95 north. Virginia Secondary 644 travels eastward as Franconia Road 2.6 miles to Franconia and westward as Old Keene Mill Road to West Springfield). Photo taken 12/21/12.

Exit 169 splits into ramps for Virginia Secondary 644 east and west. Exit 169A also provides access to Springfield Town Center via Spring Mall Road at Loisdale Road (SSR 789). Posted in this scene is a trailblazer for Express 495, the HOT lanes opened on the Capital Beltway between Springfield and Tysons Corner on November 17, 2012. Photo taken 12/21/12.

Interstate 95 prepares to leave the Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway for a two-lane flyover ramp onto Interstate 495 east to Alexandria and Oxon Hill, Maryland. The mainline defaults onto Interstate 395 north (Exit 170A).
A final ramp from I-95 departs from the left onto the reversible HOV lanes to Arlington and the 14th Street Bridge across the Potomac River. Photo taken 12/21/12.

Interstate 95 splits with the beginning of Interstate 395 (Exit 170A). I-395 spurs 13.4 miles northeast from Springfield to Arlington, the Pentagon, and downtown Washington. The freeway also continues the HOV roadway from I-95 to the Potomac River.
Exit 170B to Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway) west departs from I-395 in three quarters of a mile. Photo taken 12/21/12.

The innermost flyover from Virginia Secondary 644 (Old Keene Mill Road) splits into ramps for Interstates 95 north & 495 east to the left and Interstate 395 (Shirley Highway) north to the right. Photo taken 12/21/12.

Traffic joining Interstate 395 north from SSR 644 expands the northbound lanes to five overall. Three continue to Washington while Exit 170B claims two for Interstate 495 north to Fairfax, Vienna and Tysons Corner. Photo taken 12/21/12.

Exit 170B leaves Interstate 395 north for Interstate 495 north (inner loop). Travelers taking the western half of the Capital Beltway will rejoin Interstate 95 in 30 miles. Photo taken 12/21/12.

Drivers from SSR 644 (Franconia Road) west and Commerce Street at Springfield merge in quick succession. The ramp from Franconia Road provides options to all three Interstates and as the Exit 170B flyover expands to three lanes. Photo taken 12/21/12.

Taking the flyover to Interstate 495 north (inner loop), motorists from SSR 644 west split into ramps for I-395 north and the outer loop of the Capital Beltway nearby. Photo taken 12/21/12.

The two-lane flyover that carries the Interstate 95 northbound mainline onto the outer loop of the Capital Beltway passes overhead in this scene on Exit 170B. Photo taken 12/21/12.

Opened to traffic on November 17, 2012, the 495 ExpressLanes travel along side the general purpose lanes of the Capital Beltway from the Springfield Interchange northwest to Virginia 267 (Dulles Access Road). The HOT (High occupancy/toll) lanes are open to HOV-3 motorists equipped with an EZPASS Flex Transponder. Variable toll rates are charged to other motorists who use the lanes. Photo taken 12/21/12.

A sweeping view of the Capital Beltway west from the Springfield Interchange. The northbound mainline of I-495 merges with ramps from I-95 north and I-395 south to the right as the 495 ExpressLanes commence to the left. The HOT lanes were constructed between 2008 and 2012 at a cost of $2 billion by the companies Transurban and Fluor.1 Photo taken 12/21/12.

Springfield Interchange construction between Franconia Road and the Capital Beltway was completed on July 17, 2007. For a detailed history on the project, including completion dates for the seven phases of construction, please see Scott Kozel's Springfield Interchange Project web site.

The following photos display the old configuration of Interstate 95 north at Exit 170 and scenes during construction.

Interstate 95 North - Springfield Interchange construction and old configuration

Entering the directional cloverleaf interchange of Exit 169 on Interstate 95 northbound. Departing to the left is a HOV ramp for the reversible lanes of Interstate 395 into Washington, D.C. In the background are flyover ramps from Virginia Secondary 644 eastbound onto both sides of the Interstate 95 mainline and the HOV facility north.
Changes see Interstate 95 northbound traffic depart immediately ahead of the flyovers and the mainline defaulting onto Interstate 395 north (Exit 170A). The signs for Exits 170A and 170B were still in use during 2012 and moved to the right. Photo taken 06/22/05.

Overheads that were attached to the Commerce Street overpass showing the original ramp departure order of Interstate 95 north at Interstate 395 and the Capital Beltway. Note the original Interstate 495 northbound control city of Rockville, Maryland. Political leaders successfully lobbied during the late 1990s to have the destination changed from Rockville to Tysons Corner. Photo taken 08/27/96.

Interstate 95 northbound enters the Capital Beltway. As originally envisioned, Interstate 95 was to continue northward via the Shirley Highway into downtown Washington D.C. itself. From there the freeway was to continue through the city to Langley Park, Maryland, and into the current Interstate 95 and 495 junction. For a time the existing segments of Interstate 395 carried the Interstate 95 mainline. At the same time, the Capital Beltway carried Interstate 495 alone. A shift of Interstate 95 to the eastern half of the belt line was made when planners realized that opposition to building Interstate 95 through the city was insurmountable. The realignment christened Interstate 395 and truncated Interstate 495 to the western half of the loop. In 1989, it was decided to restore Interstate 495 on the eastern half of the Capital Beltway to provide continuity with the western half. By 2001, the exit numbers in both Maryland and Virginia saw renumbering for a more fluid system. Milepost zero occurs at the Woodrow Wilson Bridge crossing of the Potomac River. From there counterclockwise, mileposts and exit numbers count upward. Photo taken 06/22/05.

A historical look at the Exit 170B loop ramp to Interstate 495 west. Interstate 395 continues northeasterly into Alexandria and Arlington. The freeway continues an HOV system through to the Pentagon interchange of Virginia 10. Interstate 495 curves northwesterly to Vienna and Falls Church, providing access to the western suburbs via Interstate 66 and Virginia 267. Photo taken 06/02/03.